Belt buckle



Oct 7, 1953 .n.u. sTUcHKo 2,354,721l

` ABELT BUCKLE Filed Sept. 5, 1955 IN VENTOR www@ Mww 'ATTORNEYS BELT BUCKLE Joseph .1. Stuchko, Kingston, Pa.

Application September 5, 1956, Serial No. 608,017

3 Claims. (Cl. 24-181) This invention relates to buckles, and particularly to buckles for use with belts for supporting trousers and the like.

The conventional belt buckle, composed of frame and tongue, has an advantage over other types as it is positive in its fastening due to the tongue being inserted through an opening in the belt. It has its disadvantages also, however. lt requires two hands to fasten and unfasten it, one to draw on the end of the belt and the other to manipulate the tongue. Also, unless the buckle is made of extremely rigid material, excessive strains will sometimes spring the tongue suiciently to permit it to slip through the buckle frame and the belt to be released.

The object of the present invention is to provide a buckle which will incorporate all of the conventional tongue-type buckle while being free of many of its disadvantages.

Another object is the provision of such a buckle which, while being very eiicient from a functional standpoint, lends itself ideally to decorative effects and surface ornamentation.

A more specic object of the invention is to provide a buckle which will be positive in its holding ability, but can be manipulated easily with one hand.

Still another object is to provide a buckle which willl automatically move to release position when the belt is relieved of strain.

Another object of the invention will become apparent from the following description of two practical embodiments thereof, when taken in conjunction with the drawings which accompany, and form part of, this specification.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a front elevation of a buckle embodying the principles of the present invention, shown attached to a belt and the belt in fastened position in the buckle;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the buckle and adjacent parts of the belt, and is taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the buckle frame and slide, and is taken on the line 3--3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the buckle shown in Figures 1 to 3; and

Figure 5 is a perspective View of a slightly modified form of the invention.

In general, the invention consists of a buckle frame having a slide mounted thereon which carries a pin for engagement in a hole in a belt. In one form of the invention means are employed to bias the slide away from locking position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first adverting to that form `of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, there is shown a lbuckle 1 having secured to it a belt strap 2. The belt forms no part of the invention, but is here shown as having its end looped over to form an attaching means and the end is secured to the body portion of the belt by means of snap fasteners 3.

United States Patent 2,854,721 `:Patented Oct. 7, ,1958

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The buckle is shown as having a frame which is U- shaped, with the top and bottom bars 4 and 5 of the frame being formed -by the legs of vthe U. The bridge member 6 is vertical and is the end post about which the loop of the belt is placed to attach the buckle to the belt. The open end of the U can be closed'in any desired manner. It is here shown as closed by a plate 7 rigidly fixed to the top and bottom bars 4 and 5. The plate can be used 'for ornamentation and can bear an initial or monogram.

A slide 8 extends across the buckle from the top -bar to the bottom bar and has its ends 9 encircling the top and bottom bars to mount the slideupon the bars for sliding movement thereon. The bar-encircling ends 9 are sufliciently loose upon the bars to permit the slide to move freely toward and from the plate 7. The slide is provided with a stud or pin 10 projecting outwardly from its -center to enter holes 11 in the belt. When the belt is drawn up snugly, and the pin 10 engaged in the proper hole, the force tending to expand the belt will draw the pin, and the slide on which it is mounted, against the edge of plate 7. This will effectively hold the elements so that the belt cannot free itself from the pin.

In order to facilitate fastening and unfastening the buckle, the slide 8 is biased away from the plate 7 by means of a light coil spring 12. The spring is connected to the end post 6 and the slide. To prevent the spring catching in the clothing of the wearer and to hide it from view, it is housed in a tube 13 which has a hooked end 14 for attachment to the vertical end post of the buckle.

The operation of the buckle is quite simple. The end of the belt is inserted 4between the plate 7 and slide 8 and drawn up snug. Spring 12 will hold the slide away from the plate so that the maximum opening is present for threading. The belt is drawn up snug and the proper hole 11 droped over pin 10. The natural expansion force of the belt about the body will cause the slide to be moved over until the pin strikes the edge of plate 7. This will effectively lock the buckle as described. When it is desired to release the buckle, the wearer will contract the abdomen which will remove the expansion force from the belt, and spring 12 will automatically move the slide away from the plate. The belt may then lbe easily removed from the pin and buckle. Either the fastening or unfastening operation can be performed easily with one hand.

The buckle shown in Figure 5 is identical to the one just described, except that the spring and its housing are not used. In this case, the slide must be manually moved.

While in the above practical embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be understood that the precise details of structure described and shown are merely by way of illustration and the invention may take other forms within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A buckle for use with a belt having holes therein comprising, -a substantially rectangular open frame including spaced top and bottom bars, a vertical end post connecting the top and bottom bars and a plate secured against one side of said top and bottom bars and extending therebetween spaced from the end post, a slide member mounted for sliding movement on the top and bottom bars intermediate the end post and plate and having a surface spaced below the plane of the underside of said plate a distance at least equal to the thickness of the -belt to be used with the buckle, a pin projecting from said surface of the slide and extending therefrom a distance greater than the spacing between 'the plane of the underside of the plate and said slide surface, and means to bias said slide toward said end post.

2. In a buckle as claimed in claim 1, said means to bias the slide comprising a coil spring having one end connected to the end post and the other connected to they slide.

3. In' a'buckle as claimed n claim 1, said means to bias the slide comprising a coil spring having one end connected to the end post and the other to the slide, and a spring enclosure in the form of a tube surrounding said spring and having a hook on one end` engaging said end post.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Mix Aug. 7, 1923 Kollstede Mar. 1, 1927 Strauss Feb. 8, 1938 

